I liked the anecdote about her preferring that her nanny rather than the King accompanying her to school picnics because there would be a great fuss. It would be great if you could summarise some interesting parts if you have time. Thanks

Victoria talks a fair bit in the book about one nanny in particular, who was called “Nenne.” Nenne also took care of the King and his sisters when they were little, and was in her 60s when Victoria was born, so Victoria looked at her as a grandmother.

Victoria was very attached to her pacifiers (or “dummies,” as the book translates it) when she was little and stubborn about giving them up. One day while on a boat she asked if fish had pacifiers, and I guess the King and Queen decided to take advantage of the situation:

'No,” they answered. “We feel sorry for the fish. Can’t you give them your dummies?

’Of course,' I said, and threw all my dummies into the sea- just to make the fish happy.

I soon regretted what I had done. It was a disaster at bedtime. I was very unhappy and so angry with my parents that I refused to sleep where my mother and father slept. I demanded to go to Nenne. She was the only person who was kind to me.”

So the King had to carry a hysterical Victoria, in the middle of the night, all the way to the other side of the palace where Nenne had her own apartment. Ironically, Victoria later colluded with the nanny (not sure if was the same one) to trick Madeleine into giving up her pacifiers, which Madeleine never knew (though I guess the cat is out of the bag now ) and which Victoria says she still has a “bad conscience” over.

I read it this summer when my mum borrowed it at the library, well reading was saying to much, the book is mostly pictures anyway:) I liked the picture where she opens the castlegate, you can see how big her muscles are.

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-------------------------------------------------"My feelings are all over the place." Prince Daniel express his feelings after announcing the birth of his daughter Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary

Victoria was very attached to her pacifiers (or “dummies,” as the book translates it) when she was little and stubborn about giving them up. One day while on a boat she asked if fish had pacifiers, and I guess the King and Queen decided to take advantage of the situation:

'No,” they answered. “We feel sorry for the fish. Can’t you give them your dummies?

’Of course,' I said, and threw all my dummies into the sea- just to make the fish happy.

I soon regretted what I had done. It was a disaster at bedtime. I was very unhappy and so angry with my parents that I refused to sleep where my mother and father slept. I demanded to go to Nenne. She was the only person who was kind to me.”

That's hilarious! Thank you. She was very generous in giving her pacifiers to the fish!

The book quotes an interview Birgitta apparently gave to a German newspaper (no name or date given), in which she said "Victoria is going to be Queen. It is not possible for her to indulge in her great love." The book doesn't mention her saying anything about Daniel specifically- it would be interesting to read the whole original interview.

The book also describes a radio interview Birgitta gave in 2009, talking about a man she met at the 1960 Rome Olympics, who was "the great love of her life"- but she married Prince Johan Georg anyway, because he was more "suitable." So perhaps there is a bit of "sour grapes" coloring her perspective on this issue...

I read the book again now on Christmas. Victoria tells at the book that the fairytales she loved most as a child were the stories about queen Silvia's ape Micki. And Victoria has told them again to Daniel's nieces, and they love them too.